Hi,

Long, in her book (p. 59), "The Maid and the Hangman" says of her version E7 (The Golden Ball- see my post above) that "the text was composed by Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould." I assume Long's implication is that the text in brackets was supplied (written) by Baring-Gould from his recollections of a chap-book (see notes from "Curiosities").

Here are Baring-Gould's notes: In this very curious story, the portion within brackets reminds one of the German story of " Fearless John," in Grimm (K. M. 4), of which I remember obtaining an English variant in a chap-book in Exeter when I was a child—alas! now lost. It is also found in Iceland, and is indeed a widely-spread tale. The verses are like others found in Essex in connection with the child's game of "Mary Brown," and those of the Swedish "Fair Gundela." But these points we must pass over. Our interest attaches specially to the golden ball. The story is almost certainly the remains of an old religious myth. The golden ball which one sister has is the sun, the silver ball of the other sister is the moon. The sun is lost; it sets, and the trolls, the spirits of darkness, play with it under the bed, that is, in the house of night, beneath the earth.

What do you think Long meant when she says: "the text was composed by Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould." ?

Richie